THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 445 



INSECT NOTES. 



The maple louse, Drepanaiihis acerifoiii (Thomas), lias been found abundant on 

 large-leaved niapli's at Berkeley, Cal., Sept. 30, 1914. — E. O. Essig. 



The paper birch louse, Calaphis betulaecolens (Fitch), is especially abundant upon 

 the lea\es of the paper birch trees in Oakland and Berkeley this year. — E. O. Essig. 



The tobacco flea -beetle, Epitrix parvula Fab., and the Western striped flea-beetle, 

 Phi/lloti('t<( niiiiosa Clutch, are common ,it Bei'keley, attacking many cruciferous ancl 

 solanaceous plants. — E. O. Essig. 



Specimens of cabbage, turnip and caulillower plants were recently received from 

 George B. \Veatherli.\'. Cc)imt>' Horticultural Commissioner of Humboldt County, 

 infected with the cabbage maggot, Phorbui brassicw (Bouche). They were collected 

 at Eureka. Cal., September 1914. — E. O. Essig. 



The fruit tree bark beetle, Eccoptogaster rtignlosus, was recently found to be doing 

 considerable damage to apricot and cherry trees near Banning and Beaumont. The 

 trees upon which they were found contained no dead wood but were materially 

 weakened by the attack of the pest. Its presence was easily detected by masses of 

 gum which had oozed out and hardened wherever the beetles had attacked the twigs 

 and trunks. In most cases the injury occurred at the base of a bud, causing a copious 

 flow of gum. — ^Geo. p. Weldon. 



The writer recently inspected several orchai-ds which have been fumigated for the 

 control of Coctnis citricola, near Lindsay and Porterville. Present indications are 

 that the work has been exceedingly effective. — Geo. P. Weldon. 



The citrus mealy bug, Pseuctococcus citri. is showing up quite badly on citrus trees 

 in Mary.sville. A vigorous campaign to abate this pest is being started by County 

 Horticultural Commissioner G. W. Harney. — E. J. Branigan. 



The Western twelve-spotted cucumber beet\e, Diabrotica soror, Lee, is reported as 

 doing considerable damage to truck gardens and also to the tender foliage of young 

 citrus trees in and around Sacramento. — E. J. Branigan. 



A chry.somelid, Disonycha t^-viattata Say., has been found to be very numerous on 

 the willows along the banks of the Sacramento River, in many cases completely 

 defoliating the trees. — E. J. Branigan. 



The salt marsh caterpillar, Estigvtene acraa, Dru. is doing some damage to the 

 madaro potato \ine and shasla daisy blossoms in Sacramento. This pest is controlled 

 largely by a Tachina lly parasite. — E. J. Branigan. 



The writei- has collected in Marysville seeds which were heavily infested with a 

 species of Brui;hid. Bruchus prnininus Horn. These were taken from the seed pods 

 of locust trees. 'JMie same species of weevil has also been taken from acacia seed on 

 trees in Sacramento. — E. J. Branigan. 



The larvie of the grape leaf folder, Dcstnia funrrnlis Hbn, were recently sent into 

 this office by Mr. B. V. Sharp, county horticidtural commissioner of Kings County. Mr. 

 Sharp writes that a few of the muscat grape vine leaves were affected. — E. J. Vosler. 



Insects of the Coleopterous family Silphida? or carrion beetles, Silvha ramosa Say., 

 have recently been reported as doing con.«!iderable damage to garden truck in the 

 vicinity of San Francisco. This is a rather unusual occurrence as the familv has been 

 considered to feed entirely upon decaying organic matter. It is hardly probable that 

 this species feeds entirely upon growing vegetation. — Harry S. Smith. 



Twigs of Alligator pears or Avocado, infested with wasps. Crabro sp., were 

 recently sent to the insectary from the Butte County Foothill Nurseries, with the 

 statement that they were damaging the young trees to a large extent. — Harry 

 S. Smith. 



Coccophagus Ucanii Fitch, has recently been reared from Saissetia olerr. feeding on 

 Solainvi jnsminoidefi at San Jose, California, by County Horticultural Commissioner 

 Earl Morris. — E. J. Vosler. 



Saissetia oleir Bern, was found to be heavily i-ifesting asparagus, by County Horti- 

 cultural (Commissioner Frank T. Swett, of Contra Costa County, ait Oaklev, Cali- 

 fornia. — E. J. Vosler. 



For the benefit of those who are not familiar with the West India peach scale, 

 A2ilacaspis pentagona Targ., I will attempt to give a brief outline as we have found 

 it in the inspection of nursery stock and other shrubs from Japan and China. 



Puparium of adult female approximately circular, ovate, convex, opaque, white and 

 frequently mixed with the epidermal tissues of the plant. Exuviaj towards, or at the 

 margin, in front, but not projecting. Puparium of second stage fen.ales circular 

 with the exuvise of a bright orange yellow. 



Male puparium snowy white, and about three times as long as it is broad: 

 (uncarinated). Pellicle pale straw color. The male scales are usually in thick 

 clusters. 



This scale has a large range of hosts, peach, cherry, walnut, grape, persimmon, 

 geranium. Hibiscus, etc., and is found upon the trunks, branches and fruits in the 

 open, and between the buds and branches, and is often found under a fungus which 

 grows upon some of the shrubs from Japan and China. This fungus appears as a 

 blackish soft leathery mass forming irregular patches from one inch to six inches 

 long, and o'ten reaching entirely around the branch. This fungus is known as 

 Theleohora sp., and is usually found near the base of the shrubs, or if they are grown 

 in a damp, shady place, it may be found upon any part of the branches. I have seen 

 this scale alive in all stages under the fungus, although we must not infer that it 

 will always be found there. — B. B. Whitney. 



